§ Mr. Clayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 6 April to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North, Official Report, column 107, how much of the increase in social security expenditure reflecting a real increase in the average amount of benefit paid is attributable to actual real increases in benefit rates.
§ Mr. MajorBecause of the number of structural changes to the benefit system over this period, and the complicated relationship between the rates of income-related benefits and the actual amounts paid, it would 33W require substantial work to isolate the effect of real increases in benefit rates. I regret therefore that it would be disproportionately costly to provide this information.